WASHINGTON, DC – Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, and Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos today ratified a Joint Declaration of Intent with their German counterparts concerning cooperation on apprenticeships, vocational education and training. The signing, during National Apprenticeship Week, represents the firm commitment of the U.S.

FRANKLIN, TN – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Garcia’s Mexican Restaurant – based in Franklin, Tennessee – has paid $179,878 in back wages to 40 employees to resolve minimum wage violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

PALM BAY, FL – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Cornelius Electrical Contractors Inc. – based in Palm Bay, Florida – will pay $19,642 in back wages to 13 employees after violating overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a final rule establishing registration requirements for pooled plan providers. The rule implements the registration requirements for pooled plan providers pursuant to the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019 (SECURE Act).

NEW YORK, NY – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) has entered into an Early Resolution Conciliation Agreement with JP Morgan Chase & Co., resolving allegations that the financial institution engaged in systemic compensation discrimination against female employees in certain professional positions, and establishes enhanced future compliance commitments.

In the week ending November 7, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 709,000, a decrease of 48,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 6,000 from 751,000 to 757,000. The 4-week moving average was 755,250, a decrease of 33,250 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 1,500 from 787,000 to 788,500.

CUSSETA, AL – On Nov. 9, 2020, ALJoon LLC – operating as Ajin USA of Cusseta – was sentenced after entering a plea of guilty to a charge of willful violation of an OSHA standard.  The company will pay a $500,000 fine and $1,000,000 in restitution to the estate of a temporary machine operator who suffered fatal crushing injuries in June 2016 at the auto parts manufacturer’s Cusseta, Alabama, facility.

MIAMI, FL – After investigations by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), two Miami, Florida-area aviation engine repair and service companies have paid $541,026 in wages to 134 employees after the investigations found minimum wage and overtime violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced its recognition of 675 U.S. employers as honorees in the 2020 HIRE Vets Medallion program for their recruitment, hiring, and retention of America’s veterans. Collectively, this year’s award recipients hired more than 37,000 veterans since 2018.

HOUSTON, TX – TracWorks Inc. – a railroad track construction, maintenance and rehabilitation company based in a Houston, Texas – has paid $4,804 in back wages after wrongly denying an employee leave under the Emergency Paid Sick Leave (EPSLA) and Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act (EFMLEA) provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). 

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced additional funding for an opioid-crisis National Health Emergency Dislocated Worker Grant for the New York Department of Labor. The award of $1,863,815 will provide continued services to eligible individuals in communities across 22 New York counties that are affected significantly by the health and economic effects of widespread opioid use, addiction and overdose.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today approved additional funding for a Disaster Recovery National Dislocated Worker Grant awarded to the California Department of Employment Development in response to the wildfires of November 2018.

CHARLOTTE, NC – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Barrday Corp. – an industrial textile manufacturer operating in Charlotte, North Carolina – paid $2,606 in back wages for wrongly denying paid leave to an employee under the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act (EFMLEA). The employee missed work to care for a child whose place of care was closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the start of National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) 2020. NAW 2020 includes a series of events held nationwide as thousands of participants celebrate the dynamic and evolving work of apprentices. This year’s events will focus on both traditional Registered Apprenticeship Programs and newly created Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs.

BOSTON, MA – A federal court in Massachusetts has issued a temporary restraining order against two construction contractors and a representative of one of the companies to prevent retaliation or discrimination after the defendants began a campaign of alleged threats and retaliation against an employee who complained about not receiving overtime pay and requested money he was due.

WASHINGTON, DC – Last week, the U.S. Department of Labor took a range of actions to aid American workers and employers as our nation combats the coronavirus pandemic.

Reopening America’s Economy:

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued guidance and an accompanying one-pager to help employers understand which standards are most frequently cited during coronavirus-related inspections.

HOUSTON, TX – The Childhood Center – a childcare provider based in Houston, Texas – has paid $864 in back wages after wrongly denying leave to a worker with coronavirus symptoms who was ordered to self-quarantine for two weeks by a medical professional. The employer also wrongly terminated the employee.

WASHINGTON, DC – Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic through Oct. 29, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued citations arising from 179 inspections for violations relating to coronavirus, resulting in proposed penalties totaling $2,496,768. 

OSHA inspections have resulted in the agency citing employers for violations, including failures to:

EDGEWOOD, KY – After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Sinkula Investments Ltd. Co. – operator of 10 northern Kentucky Wendy’s franchise locations – has paid a civil money penalty of $16,160 for violating child labor requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).